Dragonball One Half!
by Aoikami Sarah
Summary: Gohan's kids Gosan and Akago train Ranma, Akane and Ryouga with the teachings of Kamesennin to fight in the Tenkaiichi Budoukai
1. Vacation, all I ever wanted

**Dragon Ball 1/2 !  
by Aoi Kami Sarah**

Disclaimers - This story is very safe. No death, no sex, hardly any cursing. (Go-Chan says 'shit' once somewhere in here.. otherwise it's just 'damnit', 'kuso' and 'shimata')   
All original characters and ideas owned by the following people: Akira Toriyama, Rumiko Takahashi and Aoi-Kami Sarah who is humble before them. To make this make more sense you may want to ready Dragon Ball AD parts 1 through 3 (at least) by Aoi-Kami Sarah. Enjoy.

**CHAPTER ONE**

**VACATION, ALL I EVER WANTED..**  
One summer, Goku gave himself a rest from training his son Gohan's rambunctious son and daughter. He allowed his 15 year-old grandchildren, Gosan and Akago, to go on a training mission alone. They had heard from Uranai Baba about a mysterious training ground in China called Jusenkyo and decide to check it out for themselves.  
Little did they know that the crafty old woman was not telling them all she knew of the Cursed Springs. When the children were seven years old they had trained under her brother, Kame-Sen'nin. Being free-spirited, naive and young, they had inadvertently insulted the soothsayer. She had spent years trying to come up with a just punishment. The time had come for her chance to get the siblings back for their insolence.

They flew in on a clear day and scared the poor Chinese tour guide half out of his wits. He recovered and tried to warn them off, but little did he know, there is just no arguing with a pair of Saiyans intent on sparring each other. He didn't seem to notice that the blue-haired girl had a blue-haired tail. Gosan hopped up on a tall, thin bamboo pole and called down to his older sister.   
"Come on, Go-chan! This looks so cool! We gotta build something like this for home!" he stood on one foot.  
"What? You don't want an excuse to get away from the family for a while?" Akago bent her knees and leapt up on to a pole of her own. She landed on the palm of her hand. Her spiky blue hair fell around her face a little. She blinked a looked around. "Yeah. It's pretty cool. Something weird about it, though.."  
"Whatever. Let's go!"  
Go-chan pushed herself up into the air and clashed with her sibling. They both landed on different poles.   
"Please! No do that!!" the tour guide pleaded with them. "You don't know tha dane jars!"  
"The what?" Go-chan asked as she landed after another attack and wobbled a bit.  
"Don't pay attention to him!" Gosan lunged at her. "Pay attention to me!!"   
She wasn't ready. Gosan landed on his sister's bamboo pole gracefully. Go-chan landed with a splash!  
"Oh no!" cried the man. "I knew this would happen!!"  
Gosan looked over his shoulder and laughed at the water. Somehow, the agile quarter-Saiyan got so carried away with his mirth that he lost his footing as well and fell backwards. He stopped, to the amazement of the tour guide, just above the surface of another pool, righted himself and stood in the air with his hands at his waist, still laughing.   
"How, why, what?" the man stammered.  
"I hate water." Gosan glanced at him then back at the pool his sister should have gotten out of all ready. "Go-chan?" Nothing. "Akago?!?" Not a ripple. He panicked. Just before he reached the surface, an armored figure exploded from the water.   
"HAAAA!!!" It came after the boy, who flew back toward the guide and stared perplexed at it.   
"What?" asked the young man, noting the shock on both faces. "Huh?" He looked down. "What the hell?!?! AAH! What's goin' on? Is this some kinda joke?! What happened to me, Gosan?"   
The boy's shock dissolved into anger. "What have you done with my sister?!" he growled.  
"Whaddaya mean? I AM your sister, dimwit!" he glared at Gosan, but quickly frowned, looked down at his armor and began to cry. He sank to his knees and sniffled.  
"Oh! You must have fallen in Ninnichuan: cursed spring of Young Samurai Warrior. Very sad story! His sword was so dull, he could not commit hari-kiri, so he drowned himself here over nine hundred year ago."  
"What?!" Gosan grabbed the short man by the collar of his blue neru jacket and shook him vigorously. "Are you trying to tell me that my sister has become a Samurai?!"  
"Uhuh!"   
"Cool!" he let him drop and went to his bawling sister. "Go-chan you look so neat!"  
Akago stifled a sob and shot a nasty look at him. "Whatdaya mean, 'neat'!? I'm a boy!!!" he took up her wailing where he left off.  
"How do we change her back, mister?"   
"No one has ever change back, though many have try. It is a curse!"   
Gosan flew up to him and looked down in disgust. "You mean to tell me, she's a boy, forever?"  
The guide cowered but managed to stammer a yes.   
"Cool! I have a brother! I have a brother! I have a.."   
The Samurai stopped crying and brought the butt of his sword down on his brother's head.  
The guide, terrified of the strange, flying siblings volunteered information, hoping they would go away. "There have been many who have tried, like girl-boy with panda-father. They have been back here before, but still are cursed to this day."  
"Where are they now?" Akago asked.  
"In Japan."  
"But Go-chan, we can go home and get Aunt Mira to fix you up.."  
"NO WAY! I'm not going home looking like this! Mom and Dad will kill us! Gramma Chi-Chi and Mom didn't want us going out on our own in the first place. If we bring them THIS," she pointed to her new body, "we won't be let out of eye-shot for the next three years!!!"  
"Oh, got a point there."  
"Yeah. We're gonna hafta at least try to figure this out on our own."  
"Right." Gosan nodded his approval and they blasted off for the island.

COME ON KNOCK ON OUR DOOR..  
It poured down on the siblings, hard as they roamed the streets. Akago began to regret having shed the shell-like outer armor she/he had previously found so useless. As cold, wet and hunger gnawed at Gosan, he pleaded with his sister/brother to go home. Go-chan insisted that she was too embarrassed to return home, especially if she had to be a Samurai for the rest of her life. The rain dripped off his/her chin.   
"Go-chan," his brother whimpered, "I'm hungry, and tired."  
He looked up at the unmoving clouds and wiped his face. "Me too."  
Gosan looked to him and waited for the plan.  
"I think I just found the answer."   
They looked up at the sign in front of them.  
'Tendo School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts'  
"Welp. Sounds like our style!" Gosan stepped back, smirked and bowed to his brother. "Ladies first!"  
He soon found himself flying through the air with a sizable lump on his head. He hit the front door and slid down it on his face. He laughed at his joke, regardless, in a pile on the wet stoop. He turned to him and mumbled that he was ok and the door began to open. Akago made a dash for his brother. He picked him up, pulled a sash off his Samurai costume and tied it around his forehead.  
"Ow! Go-chan! what the..?" he cried as the band tightened down over his bump. The door opened. Akago had accomplished all this faster than the person inside could get a chance to see the Rasha star in the middle of his brother's forehead (her own was hidden deep under the skin of a nine-hundred-year dead Samurai along with her blue Saiyan tale).   
"Hello, can I help you?" a sweet-faced, young woman asked them.  
"Yes!" A light bulb went off in his head. "My brother's been hurt in a fight!" He nudged him secretly.  
"Wha..?" Gosan caught the drift. "Oh! OW!" he held his head and Akago kicked him quickly in the shin. "OWW!!" he doubled and grasped his shin.  
"Oh! Come in! Please!"

..  
They sat on their knees (Gosan on top of an ice pack) in front of Mr. Tendo. Cups of tea steamed before them, untouched.   
"So, you want to join my dojo?"  
"Yes, sir!" they said in unison and bowed their heads; their father had taught them to be respectful to their elders.  
Soun closed his eyes and pondered their simple answer. He stood and went to the door. "Do you think you are good enough? You know, I already have students who are quite excellent."  
"Sir, we will do anything to prove ourselves to you." Akago declared. His brother sighed.  
Mr. Tendo still hadn't opened his eyes. "Very well." He spun around and faced them. He threw up his fist and cried out melodramatically, "you shall fight my students to show me you are worthy enough to join my Anything-Goes-School!"  
Both siblings leaned back a little. Gosan tried very hard not to laugh. Suddenly, a boy ran by, chasing a small black pig.  
"Come back here, you little oinker!!" They disappeared around the corner. There was a clatter and some splashing sounds; then silence, broken by a girl running by with a boy hot on her heels.  
"Ranma! Ryoga! Come in here! We have guests!"  
They stopped dead in their tracks at the entrance and blinked in at the new boys. They bowed slightly at the waist.   
"Ranma Saotome, Ryoga Hibiki, these are the Son brothers, Gosan and Akago. If they defeat you in combat they may remain here as my students."  
Gosan's stomach rumbled. He couldn't keep his composure any longer. "Ah! lets make this quick, I'm starved!"   
Akago slapped his hand to his face.

"You want quick, huh?" Ranma took a stance and cracked her knuckles.  
"I seriously doubt that you're good enough for this dojo. We've both been trained pretty intensely," Ryoga added.  
"You're about to find out, pal." Gosan spread his feet.  
"Take it easy, brother. Don't forget the difference. We're not used to fighting OTHERS. Remember what happened at the Boudokai.."  
Gosan nodded and attacked the girl called Ranma. Ryoga leapt up into the air and came at Akago. In less than ten seconds, the only ones left standing were the 'Son bothers'.   
"Oops." Gosan scratched his head. "I thought I went easy!"   
"We did," Akago frowned, "but they're out cold!"  
"What are we gonna do? We're gonna have to live with these two. They can't know we're this powerful!"  
"We'll just convince them that they did their best.." he eyed his brother mischievously.  
They proceeded to nearly destroy the dojo as they pummeled each other. Akago found it difficult to keep up in his new body and Gosan managed to be the last one on his feet. His brother crashed to the ground. He smiled and fell down next to him.

"A TIE!?!" Soun yelled.   
"Must have been," Ranma shrugged. "I don't remember much." She rubbed her elbow and glared at the Sons. Akane stared at the new-comers with her arms crossed. She couldn't believe the rough shape they were all in.   
"Hey," Ryoga glared at Akago. "You said something about remembering the Boudokai before we fought, you didn't mean the.."  
"..The Tenkaichi Boudokai!?" Mr. Tendo cut in. "You participated in a Boudokai, Gosan?"  
"We both did!" Gosan shot out without a consulting glance to his brother. Akago hit him so fast no one caught it. "Ow! I mean we both WENT to it.. heh heh heh.."   
Soun wasn't hearing him anymore. His eyes turned to stars. "Do you know what this means? With the Son brothers here, at last the Tendo dojo will be able to enter the Tenkaichi Boudokai!!!"  
"Uh, Mr. Tendo?" Ranma implored. "What IS the Boudokai?"  
Soun and Akago fell over, leaving Ryoga and Akane perplexed.  
"The Greatest Under The Heavens Tournament," Gosan informed her. "Why, never heard of it?"  
"That's, that's!" A light went off in Ranma's head, "that's that huge marital arts competition that only 8 people get to participate in, isn't it! They represent the greatest fighters on EARTH!!" She stared slack-jawed at the brothers. "YOU fought in the Boudokai?!?"  
"Yup, our whole family has." Gosan didn't even blink with his delivery. His brother fumed, unable to stop what had already begun. "I'm hungry. When do you eat around here?"

THE SUN RISES SLOWLY ON ANOTHER DAY..  
The next morning Kasumi came back from the emergency grocery run she had to make after the siblings decimated her pantry. She noticed the Sons were up before the other members of the dojo, and more alert and polite than the others as well. Akane and Nabiki couldn't take their eyes off Akago. He sat on his knees and wolfed down a bowl of rice just as fast as his brother, but with a grace the younger did not afford his company.   
"He's kinda cute," Nabiki whispered to her sister.  
"What?!" Akane choked on her breakfast, but didn't stop staring.  
"Akago." Nabiki clarified.  
"Ah choo!"  
"Gesundheit!"  
"Merci."  
Gosan slapped down his chopsticks, jumped up and bowed to Kasumi. "Thanks Kasumi! Come on Akago, lets get going."  
He rose and bowed to her as well. "Yeah."  
"Just where do you think you're going?" She stopped them in their tracks.  
"Town?" they said innocently, simultaneously.  
"What about school, how old are you boys?"  
They panicked. Akago poked his brother in the ribs.   
He hung his head. "Fifteen."   
"Nineteen." Akago puffed out his chest. It was enough for the woman of the house.  
Gosan grumbled something under his breath about it being bad enough she was four months older.  
"Well, then, Gosan will go to school with Nabiki, Ranma and Akane."  
Akago sighed with relief. He pulled his brother aside. "I'll find the panda, you have fun with the girls."  
"Yeah, girls and MATH!" he fretted.

Akane and Ranma sneaked out of the kitchen.   
"What are you gonna do, Ranma. Are you going to let the Son brothers in on your little secret?"  
"Huh?" she blinked. "Whaddaya mean?"  
"Well, you can't very well go to school as a girl."  
Ranma hung her head. "Yeah. I guess I'm gonna hafta tell Gosan the truth."  
Akane dumped a kettle over her.  
"Hot hot hot hot!"

Akago tied up his shoe straps and noticed he was being watched. Ryoga stood a few feet away with his arms crossed. "I know this is real interesting," he began, "but you must have something better to do than stare at me."  
"I don't believe that you participated in the Boudokai," he frowned.  
"Well, I have." He stood. "Twice."  
"That's impossible! If you're 19, then you would have been.."  
"Just a little kid? Yeup."  
Ryoga went down on his knees. "I know you and your brother kicked our asses. I didn't lay a hand on either of you! You must teach me! If I become as powerful as you, I can defeat Ranma!"  
"Ohhh kay.." Akago blinked. He was under the impression that he and the girl were friends. "I've never trained anyone before, but I guess I can give it a shot."  
"Thank you Son-san."  
"Oh please, no. Call me Akago."  
Ryoga blushed. "If you don't mind me asking, why did your parents pick such odd names?"  
Akago bristled a bit, but it did make more sense when he was a she. "I was SUPPOSED to be the last one." He went for the door.  
"Where are you going?"  
"I have to go out and look for something." He noticed Ryoga seemed to be waiting for him to command him to do something. 'I am so not ready to be a trainer!' Akago thought. "Uh, wanna come with?"  
"Hai."

"Ready to go, Gosan?" Akane put on her back-pack. Ranma stood with his back to her, his hands clasped behind his head.  
"Guess so. I've never been to a real school before, my Grama Chi-Chi teaches us." He noticed the boy. "Who are you?"  
"I'm Ranma Saotome." They waited for the reaction.  
"Huh? Wow. And I though our parents named US funny."  
"WHAT?"   
"You and your sister have the same name!"  
Akane blinked at him. Ranma sweat a little and laughed to himself.   
"Come on, guys, we're going to be late!"

Akago bounded over rooftops, scanning the busy streets. Ryoga followed. They stopped finally above a restaurant.   
"Guess you don't like side-walks."  
"I don't have a problem with them, just get a better view from up here."  
"Oh." Ryoga bit his lip in contemplation. What was his new Sensei looking for? He was about to ask when Akago got back on the move.   
"You hungry?" he asked as he hopped to his feet.   
"Sure."  
The taller boy did a handspring, gripped the gutter and swung down into the bistro below them. Ryoga blinked, impressed, and followed suit.

KINOKIITA OTOKO NO KO..  
"Ranma Saotome!" shouted the kendoist. "You are unworthy of Akane Tendo!" He held a wooden sword in his hand and threatened the boy.  
"Jeez, Kuno, would you get a grip.." Ranma seemed uninterested but spread his legs all the same. "I am so glad you're graduating."  
"What's his problem?"  
"It's a long story." Akane folded her arms and made a face.  
This was not a good enough answer for the quarter-Saiyan. He stepped between Ranma and Kuno. "Whatever you got against my friend Ranma, you can take up with me."  
"Wha..?" Ranma protested. "Gosan, this is between Kuno and me, you don't need to interfere."   
"Aw.." Gosan whined, "please, can I?"  
Ranma looked to Akane who simply shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, he did pretty well against you and Ryoga, didn't he? Why not?"  
Gosan bounced on the balls of his feet, waiting for approval. Ranma did not look thrilled.  
"I guess.."  
Kuno held the same position, blade ready to strike, since the beginning of the encounter.   
"Cool!"  
Kuno swung the bokken deftly. Gosan dodged slowly so that everyone could see him.   
"You, who have come between my grudge with Ranma, will be defeated." Gosan leapt over his head three times, bouncing around like rubber ball. Akane watched, mouth agape. Ranma nearly turned his back on the boys as they fought. Kuno couldn't get a strike in. Gosan yawned as he batted the wooden blade with his index finger. Kuno could not see that he was simply outclassed.  
"I, Tatewaki Kuno will vanquish you just as.."  
The bokken stopped as Gosan grasped the blade. He flicked his wrist and lifted the taller boy off the ground. "This isn't as fun as it looked," the boy admitted. "I'm afraid I'll hurt you, so we should stop now."   
Kuno blushed. Gosan slowly set him down, bowed to him and went back inside with the other school children as recess ended. Akane followed, dazed. Ranma stewed, but kept his opinions to himself, for the mean time.

  
101499112499 


	2. Splish Splash

**CHAPTER TWO**

**SPLISH SPLASH..**  
Akago and Ryoga returned from their traipsing a short while before the other children were to get home from school. Akago was a little tired, but mostly disappointed by not seeing even one panda in the busy city streets. Ryoga thought he had a very high endurance, but he was exhausted. He had practically flown over the rooftops after his Sensei; he couldn't believe the speed! He panted now and tried to conceal just how bushed he was.   
"Heh, take five, ok?" Akago noticed. "I'm gonna take a shower."

Genma strolled out of the bathroom door just as Akago was going in. He didn't acknowledge the young man's presence, but Akago stopped and stared. 'Who's that?', he thought, then shrugged and continued on his way.

Gosan loped along next to Nabiki as they rounded the corner on their way home. She tried to weasel information out of the younger Son, but Gosan was glib and gave her hedged answers that told her no more than she knew already.  
Akane shook her head and mumbled something negative under her breath. Ranma poked her in the ribs to get her attention, winked and started walking backwards. He leapt up onto a guard wall silently and jumped off this into the water below.

Akago stripped off his clothes for the first time. He removed his pants with his eyes closed. Finally naked, he stood in front of the mirror and opened his eyes. He sighed pathetically. The steam from the hot shower billowed around him.

Ranma was waiting for them when they finally came up on the dojo. She leaned against the door and crossed her arms. "So, Gosan. Have a nice day a school?" she asked contemptuously.  
"Well, it was ok. Good thing there's only two more days of it!"  
"Yeah, soon you'll have plenty of time to spar all day long!"  
"I can't wait!"  
"Great! Then how 'bout right now?!"  
"Oh brother," Nabiki moaned. "When I heard about the Kuno incident I knew Ranma would be P.O'ed."

Ranma lead the younger Son brother through the hallway, fists clenched, ready to try to take him on a second time, furious he had to do it in his girl form. He should have thought ahead! Damnit! As they were about to enter the actual dojo, Gosan's ears perked up.   
"Hang on! I'll be right back!" he ran out and back down the hallway.

Akago was in hysterics, in the shower and in the buff, but Gosan had seen this enough times that it didn't faze him. What did was that she looked the same as she ever had!  
"Go-Chan! What happened?!"  
"I dunno! I'm cured! Gosan, I'm cured!!"  
The siblings did a little dance in the slick-bottomed tub. Gosan got carried away (as usual) and slipped a little. His elbow hit the faucet and cold water came shooting out on them both. Akago stopped dancing.  
"Ha ha ha ha..oh." Gosan sobered. "Woops."  
"What the hell is going on?" he hissed through his teeth.  
Gosan blinked and examined the faucet. He turned it to hot. His sister re-appeared. "Whoah. So that's it. Hot water makes you a girl again," he turned it back, "and cold makes you a boy!"  
"Would you stop doing that!" The young man barked.  
Suddenly the door opened and Soun appeared wearing a bathrobe. Akago pushed his fully clothed brother in front of himself. Mr. Tendo raised an eyebrow, but didn't move.  
"Akago.. stubbed his toe..?" the boy offered.  
  
SCHOOOOOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMAH!..  
The four students came tearing thought the streets hooting a hollering with glee after their last day of school. Summer Vacation had begun. Nabiki went straight to her room to clean out her notebooks and her wardrobe. Akane, Ranma (changed cleverly back into a girl) and Gosan were greeted by the other 'men'. Ryoga turned and lined up with the others. Soun addressed them, flanked by Akago and Genma.   
"Today," he began, "You will embark on a mission."  
Akago motioned for his brother to join him. He did so grudgingly.  
"Akago and Gosan Son will lead you on that mission. We have never even qualified for the Tenkaichi Boudokai. You are to go where they will take you and do as they ask; anything to become good enough to place in this competition. They are your Sensei. We relinquish our authority over you to them."  
Genma grumbled a bit as Ranma made faces at him.  
Soun bowed and said no more. Tears were pouring down his face.   
"Alrighty then." Akago folded his arms. "Let's get a move on. The contest is at the end of August! We got a lot of work to do."   
Gosan nodded. "Everybody hurry up and pack. Remember, we won't be back here until the competition is over."  
Akane whispered to Ranma, "Do we know where they're taking us?"  
"Nope."  
Ryoga offered no insight, but bowed to the Sons and adjusted the straps on his pack.

When they had accumulated their belongings, the kids assembled in the same place.   
"Everyone needs to help out. We're bringing some food with us, so open your packs," Akago ordered. Everyone complied. Gosan hefted large bags of rice easily into the half-empty packs.   
He grinned. "Ok, let's move!"  
Akane and Ranma struggled to lift their packs. "How much rice do we really need?!" Ranma complained.  
"How come they aren't carrying any?" Akane wondered out loud.  
"We are," Gosan motioned to two enormous packs behind him.  
"Holy crap!" Ranma gasped as the young Son boy threw on his back-pack as if it were nothing.  
"Damnit Ranma! Show some respect!!" Soun, Genma and Ryoga screamed at the girl.   
Akago blushed furiously and waved his hands, "No nono, it's ok, I mean, it's their first day.." but was not heeded.  
"The Sons are your masters, you will show them the respect they deserve!"  
"Ok!" Ranma complied by pulling her eye-lid down and sticking out her tongue. She was soon pummeled by the same men.  
The group headed off on foot out of the city. The rest of the Tendo household waved good-bye.  
"It's gonna be eerily quiet around here this summer, " said Nabiki.  
"Mmm," nodded her older sister, contemplating the much needed rest.  
"Hello everyone! Miss me!?!" cried a thin voice that startled them out of their reverie.  
"Happosai!"  
"Hope ya didn't forget I was coming to visit for the summer!?!"  
"Once again, I have spoken to soon." Nabiki hung her head, weighed down by the enormous sweat drop hovering just above it.

TAKIN' CARE OF BIZNIS...  
The waves lapped up against the smooth shoreline. Ranma and Akane looked to the Sons for permission. Akago nodded with a sly smile. They dumped their packs finally and ran into the water. Gosan followed, laughing with joy. Ryoga sloughed off his pack and sat down against it. He looked out over the water, shielding his eyes with his hand.  
"Uh, Sensei?"  
"Yeah?"  
"We're not gonna hafta swim, are we?"  
"Hafta? Nah. Can if you want, though."  
"I'm not a real big fan of water."  
Akago had a sense that he wanted to say more, but stopped. He didn't push him. Ryoga's unkempt dark brown hair was tousled by the sea-breeze. Akago found himself staring at the boy. 'Stop it, you idiot! You're a boy! He's gonna think you're..' He shook his head quickly and stood to go through his bag. He pulled out what looked like a cigarette case.  
"Need help setting up the tents?" Ryoga asked.  
"Tents?" Akago looked a little mystified.   
Ryoga's heart sunk. "You mean, we didn't bring any?!"  
"Of course not.." He selected a capsule, clicked the cap in and tossed it inland. Ryoga fell over the back of his pack as the small house exploded from the tiny capsule. He shuddered and gawked at the magical sight.  
"Oh, cool, a Capsule house! I was afraid we were really gonna rough it!" Akane dried her hair.   
"I thought you guys lived in the country?" Ranma pried.  
"We do," Gosan blurted, "but Trunks Briefs has the hots for our sister."  
Akane was astounded. "Are you kidding? He's the richest man on Earth!"  
"Yeah, well, our sister opted for someone else.. sort of.. it's hard to explain." Akago mumbled. "Ok! enough leisure! Let's get started." He put his hands on his hips in a very effeminate way. Gosan clicked his tongue and he dropped them and stood up straighter. "You ok, Ryoga?"   
"How..? What.?. Where'd the house come from!?"   
Ranma rolled her eyes.

Atsuko brought in a load of wash. The bright, sunny day was coming to an end. She put the basket down on a table and began folding the white, button down shirts, khaki pants and simple dresses she and her husband wore. She loved summer, but today, she couldn't wait until it ended. Sighing, she stopped folding and looked wistfully at a wall covered with photographs.  
"It's awful quiet, Gohan," she whispered to her mate, who silently rounded the corner from his study behind her.  
"They'll be back soon." he sat down on the sofa next to her and she laid her head on his shoulder.  
"When Akiko left, I thought I couldn't stand it. One day they'll leave, too," she choked down a sob.  
"Atsuko," he hugged her, "have you thought that maybe we could USE the peace and quiet?" Gohan smiled at his wife and kissed the star in the middle of her head. She snuggled in to his chest and squeezed him harder.

"There are three main things, that if enhanced through practice, can create a Boudokai contestant." Akago announced. His brother trotted off and disappeared behind a large, black, rock out-cropping. "First; strength, second; speed and third; actual skill and technique applied to strength and speed. These three things are NOTHING without dedication, truth and patience.  
"You think we don't have these things already?" Besides, we only have three months!" Ranma pointed out.  
Ryoga stomped on her foot. "'We only have three months, Sensei!'"  
"Ryoga! Settle down! I DO want you guys to respect us, but you don't have to call us Sensei if you don't want to." Ranma made a face at Ryoga and both he and Akane stomped on both her feet. Akago cleared his throat.   
"So, we start with strength. Grab your empty packs, you'll need them for weight training. You are NOT allowed to remove your packs until you go to sleep."  
"More rice, Sensei?"  
"Nope. That was kids stuff. Gosan?" he called to his brother.  
Gosan appeared from behind the out-cropping, hefting a boulder as big as he was. He tossed it lightly up in the air and caught it several times. He eye-balled it and when it came down the last time, punched it with his other hand. The rock split it three and fell to the ground around him. He picked up the pieces and put one in each of his astounded students' packs.  
"They're about fifty kilos each," he told Akago.  
"Perfect. Ok guys, put your packs on and sprint down the beach."  
They were silent and motionless.  
"Now?" he prompted gingerly and his befuddled and shocked pupils slowly went about the task.   
As they struggled away, Akago sighed. "You think I did ok?"  
"Huh? Yeah! Well, you could be a little more stern maybe."  
"Stern?"  
"Yeah, I mean, you look older and a little bit like a badass, but then again, you look like a badass as a girl, too."  
"Hey, you're right! I AM a badass! I gotta use that to my advantage." Akago faced his brother and practiced. "Ok guys, I want you to put your packs on and SPRINT down the beach, NOW!!"  
"How bout, 'Ok, maggots!!'"  
"I think that's a little much."  
"Mmm, maybe, it was just a suggestion, heh heh heh.." Gosan grinned cheesily. He looked to the students who were plodding along at a jog under the extreme weight of the rock. Ryoga and Ranma vied for the lead, grunting and groaning as they pushed themselves.   
"Next time, make Ryoga and Ranma's rocks bigger," Akago remarked loudly. "This weight's too easy for them."  
They both tripped up and fell on their faces.

UH-OH, SPAGETTIOS..  
At the end of the week, they were finally able to run at a full sprint. The Sons congratulated them and for a reward gave them.. bigger rocks. This process was repeated for a month. After four changes in weight, they were allowed to drop their ridiculously large and heavy cargo. They all sighed with relief.  
"Ok, now sprint down the beach and back."  
"Hai, Sensei!" all three were compliant and lined up to race. They took off and tore up the sand under their feet. Akane cried out with shock and glee as she rocketed down the beach. She could hardly believe that her body could carry her so fast. Ranma swung around and began to head back, her tears streaming across her face. 'I never knew this could be possible! I feel like I'm flying!!'  
They threw up a wave of sand as they came to a stop in front of Akago and Gosan and began talking at the same time, expressing their feelings of appreciation to their trainers.  
"Wait, where's Ryoga?" Akago furrowed his brows as he looked down the expanse of beach for a trace of the boy.  
"Huh? I don't know." Akane looked perplexed.  
"Probly didn't turn around to come back."  
"You mean, he ran off?" Gosan asked.  
"Not intentionally.."  
"Oh my god, Ryoga!" Akane rolled her eyes.  
"Mind clueing me in, Ranma? Why did Ryoga keep running?"  
"He has the world's worst sense of direction. He gets lost very easily."  
"Not THIS easily!"  
"Oh yeah."  
"He could be miles from here by now!" Gosan fretted.  
"I'm going after him. Stay here with the troops, Bro." Akago put his shoes on.  
"I think he can handle himself.." Akane didn't see what the big deal was.  
"That may be," he replied, "but this is Dino country," and ran off in Ryoga's general direction.  



	3. You're jokin! I can't believe my eyes!

**CHAPTER THREE**

**YOU'RE JOKIN'! I CAN'T BELIEVE ME EYES!..**  
Akago looked back over his shoulder and saw his friends disapear over the horizon. He took to the sky. He flew over the beach for a few miles before deciding that he should try to track Ryoga in another way.  
"Come on Ryoga, where are you!?" he felt out with his mind for the familiar Ki-signature and headed inland. Soon, he found his mark and descended. A T-Rex, a Saber-Toothed Tiger and a Velosa Raptor were all closing in on the same point at the edge of a small lake. As he grew closer, he couldn't see the boy; he must have been under the water.  
"Great! Just great, Ryoga! make me come all the way out here to save your butt and you go and try to drown yourself!" He dove under the water and grasped something a lot smaller than Ryoga. Akago burst out of the water, sprayed the enemy with a curtain of electric bolts and landed safely far away.   
"What the hell?"  
The tiny black pig stared, pop-eyed at him.   
"Why do you feel like Ryoga?"  
It began to squirm and thrash in his grip. Suddenly, the pig clamped its teeth down on the boy's hand. Akago cried out and released it. It took off running, hid in a nearby cave and panted.  
"Hey! I just rescued you, you ungrateful little ham-hock!" Akago shook his hand in pain. "I wonder where Ryoga is. Maybe he was in the stomach of one of those monsters! No. That can't be." He frowned at scanned the landscape.  
P-Chan scuttled shamefully further into the cave. It was warm inside. It thought to itself that maybe it could live out its days here and no one would notice. Just as its self-pity was creshendoing, it stumbled into a hot spring.

"Sensei!"  
"Ryoga! There you are! I thought you were toast! Well, I also thought you were a pig!" Akago rubbed his hand and stood up to greet him. He laughed, "I wish I could train your sense of direction, boy!"  
Ryoga blushed a little, but said nothing. He couldn't believe how close he had come to blowing his cover, but he was a little more amazed at having seen his Sensei fly and emit lightning bolts from his fingertips.

Ranma clashed with Akane as Gosan watched. Their speed and agility was greatly increased, but the boy knew there was so much more they could do. Ryoga and Akago jogged back to them, silently. Akago had tried conversation, but Ryoga was trying hard to conceal his wonder, so he clamed up.  
"Ok, great, you got them started." He was relieved to get back to his brother. "Ryoga, you get the winner."  
"Hai, Sensei."  
Things were awkward all afternoon. By the time night came, Akago was ready for some much needed rest. He made sure the others had turned in for the night and put a kettle on to boil.   
"Ahhhh.." Go-Chan sighed and closed the bedroom door behind her.   
"Hey, sis!" Gosan piped. "Long time no see!"  
She towel-dried her tail and sat cross-legged on her bed. "Yeah."  
"What's wrong?"  
"Aw jeez, Gosan," she muttered, frustrated, but when she saw the classically concerned, oblivious look on her brother's face she caved. "I like Ryoga."  
"Really? Why does that suck?" he said without thinking, "oh..."  
"Yeah, 'oh...'" she mimicked him. She couldn't help it.   
"What are you gonna do about it?"  
"DO!? What can I do!?! I'm half a boy!!" she began to cry.  
"It's ok, Go-Chan. When this is all over, we'll start looking for the Panda again."  
"We'll never find the panda!" she bawled. "He's probably hibernating or something!"

Akane shuffled in her slippers to the sink. She filled a glass with water and headed back to her bedroom. Muffled sobs made her stop and perk up her ears.   
She closed the door behind her.   
"What?" Ranma saw the confused look on her face and had to ask as he slipped under the covers of his futon.  
"I just heard someone crying."  
"Who?"  
"I don't know.."  
He shrugged and closed his eyes. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

Ryoga stared out the oval-shaped window into the night sky. He didn't know what to do about what he had seen. He couldn't ask Akago directly about his powers because he would make the connection between him and P-Chan. He also did not want to tell Akane and Ranma. It would only upset their training and might lead to Akane learn his secret. He respected his Sensei too much to question him, but with this added knowledge, the feeling he had that Akago was hiding something only grew.   
'How can that be, if I have discovered his secret? Can there be more? What other unbelievable things does he have in store?' Something about the young man troubled Ryoga and he shuddered as if to shake the feeling off. He gave up his pondering and went to bed.

DUDE LOOKS LIKE A LADY..  
Akago rose late. Her brother was already up and in the shower. She yawned and stretched out. The sun had already risen. She had spent most of the night talking with her brother. The stress of being in charge had gotten to her more than she thought it had. So much came out; her fears and frustrations regarding her transformation and Ryoga and separation anxiety, which her brother admitted he shared. They missed their family terribly and agreed that once the Boudkai was over they would return home, shame or no shame to have their Aunt Mira the sorceress fix Akago up. For now, they had a commitment to Soun and Genma. The Tendo dojo had shown them hospitality and it was the least they could do in return.   
Akago rubbed sleep from her eyes and opened the bedroom door. She took not two steps before she dazedly bumped into to someone.   
"Oops, sorry.." Ryoga froze in his tracks.  
"It's ok.." she looked straight ahead, but instead of meeting his eyes, met his chest. Go-Chan looked up slowly and panicked. "Uh... ah.. sh..."  
"Go-Chan!!" Gosan shouted as he came out of the shower and witnessed the collision.  
Ryoga raised an confused eyebrow, "Go-CHAN?"  
"Heh heh heh, that's me," she was wide awake now.  
"So, this is your sister," he stared into her violet eyes, they were so much like her older brother, Akago's, he thought. 'She's.. beautiful..' He was so overtaken with her that he soon became unable to do or say anything.  
"Well, it was great seeing ya again, sis! Stop by again some time! Ha ha ha!" Gosan grasped her by the shoulders and ushered her out the front door. She was compliant, but stared back at Ryoga. She loved the way he was looking at her. She was mesmerized. She was in love.   
"Ok, Bro. Bai bai.." she murmured dreamily. Gosan slammed the door behind him, picked his useless sister up, ran and dunked her in the ocean.  
"You ok?"  
"Yeah.." he sighed and smiled at Gosan.   
"Man, this is just weird. Come on, snap out of it."  
Akago shook his head. "Yeah. ok, I'm all right. I am. I'm a boy. Can't do much about it. Gotta keep it a secret. Ok. Cool," he tried to convince himself.  
"You sure?"  
"I hope so."

Ryoga, Ranma-Chan and Akane finished their morning workout and lined up on the beach facing the surf. Gosan paced in front of them and acted like a drill sergeant.   
"Ok troops! Today we'll see how well you can control your Ki energy. Can any of you focus your Ki into an energy attack?"  
Ranma and Ryoga raised their hands. Akane bit her worriedly bit her lip.  
"Great, show me what you can do," he twisted his wrist-bands and rubbed his hands together expectantly.  
"You want us to fire at you?" Ranma tried to ask as politely as she could. Ryoga said nothing. If Akago could do what he saw him do, his brother could most probably defend against such an attack. The boy nodded and she demonstrated her Moko Takabisha for her trainer. Gosan deflected the blow with the palm of his hand. It went arching over his head and landed in the ocean causing an explosion of steam.  
"Not bad. Ryoga, whatcha got for me?"  
Ryoga concentrated his angst as well as he could, but it was hard. He couldn't get the image of Go-Chan out of his head. His Shishi Hokoudan was unusually weaker than Ranma's attack. "Kuso," he hissed.  
"It's ok." Gosan dusted his hands off. "That's a tough one to have to rely on. Both of your attacks are focused on your mental sate of being aren't they?"  
They nodded humbly. Akane blinked, amazed at his ability to block such attacks so easily.   
"Hmm.." Gosan thought to himself. "Hey Go.. go go, Akago hee hee hee.." he caught himself. Akago glared at him. "You think we should lay the teachings of the Turtle Hermit on these guys?"  
"I was thinking the same thing, o brother of mine, but I don't know if I want to teach someone else's technique."  
"Can I at least show them?" he grinned widely.  
"Let's both, shall we?"  
"Oh certainly!"   
They were getting silly. Akane noticed and got giddy with anticipation.  
The siblings turned their backs to their students and spread their feet slightly. They bent at the knees and brought their hands up to their abdomen.  
"Kame..." they began to chant. Their fingers curled up into a cupped position and the area within began to glow.  
"Hame.." The orbs of light grew brighter and the air sung with the gathering of energy. "HA!!"  
The blast rocketed out of their hands and flew off over the horizon. A beat later the water blossomed with the impact and a few moments after that the sound of the blast reached their ears.  
"WOAH!!!" Ranma shouted. Ryoga smiled, he knew that in time they would teach him to do that. Akane stood dumbfounded at the power and wondered if she could ever become that strong.  
"Yeah, I don't feel right teaching this to them." Akago shook his head in all seriousness.  
"WHAT!? You show us something that amazing and then refuse to let us learn it!?"  
"That's not what I said, Ranma," the older boy turned to face them. "I said I didn't want to teach you."  
"You want me to?" Gosan was confused,  
"No."  
"Ah..." he smiled.  
Akago found his hoi-poi capsules and fished around till he located the number 72 speed-boat. He exploded it in the water and turned to his students.  
"Pack up your stuff. We're goin' on a field trip!!"

BOOM ANIME BABES THAT MAKE ME THINK THE WRONG THINGS..  
Ranma, Ryoga and Akane waited impatiently by the boat as the Sons went up to the tiny house. The old man was watching the aerobics channel. He appeared to have a nose bleed.   
"Hey, Muten Roshi, how's it goin'?!" Gosan hollered as he burst into the living room.   
"Can't ya see I'm preoccupied, sonny?"  
"Not sonny, Son!"  
He looked up at the boy blocking his television.  
"Oh, Gosan. Long time no see, boy. How ya been?"  
"Pretty good. You remember Akago?" he tried to keep from laughing and pointed to his 'brother'.  
"Huh? Akago? But.. bu bu but.." He made a curvy woman gesture with his hands. The older boy hit him.   
"I AM Akago!"  
"Ooh, sure are! I'd recognize that back-hand anywhere! What happened to you!?"  
They explained their bizarre circumstance and begged his permission to teach their students the Kamehameha.  
"What!?! Whaddaya think I am, some kind of guru people can just flock to!? I'm an old man, you know!"  
"But Kame Sen'nin, two of them are girls.." Akago tempted him.  
"Girls?" he drooled.  
"Hotties, if you will."  
"Two hotties!?" He burst out the front door and glared at the young women. "Oh sure, I'll teach them no problem!"  
Gosan rolled his eyes.  
The old master made a closer inspection. "Oh yes, very nice.." he ogled Ranma and Akane from various positions and finally moved in for the 'puff-puff'. He soon found himself ass-over-teakettle on the sand.  
"Hey, gramps, you wanna watch where you're grabbin'!?" Ranma hollered. "You didn't tell me they were feisty as well as beautiful!" he croaked from his awkward position.  
"At least Happosai gives you a running start..." Akane grumbled as she dusted off her hands.  
"Speaking of that," Roshi righted himself and got down to business. "Show me what you can do."  
The Son's students were put to the test once more and demonstrated all their skills for the Turtle Hermit.   
"Excellent, you've followed the same regimen that I set for you when you trained with me, only at double the pace!"  
"Do you think they're ready, Master Roshi?" Gosan implored.  
He stared at Ranma's breasts a bit before answering. Ranma blushed with anger, but kept quiet. "Yes."


	4. The cup of life, Alay alay alay

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**THE CUP OF LIFE.. ALAY ALAY ALAY..**  
The line of hopeful contestants spiraled out of the back entrance to the pavilion. Akane bit her fingernails as she watched them come and go. She had made the preliminary rounds. SHE had! Akane Tendo, who only months ago couldn't even gather the power of her own energy was now actually participating in the Tenkaichi Boudokai! She hopped up and down suddenly like a little girl.  
"What's wrong with you?" Ranma-Chan raised her eyebrow at Akane.  
"I'm so excited!!" Akane could not be angered. She was too happy.  
Ranma stared at her. She glowed with excitement and pride. Ranma had never seen her quite like that before.  
Ryoga scanned the crowd. "Where are our Sensei?"  
"I dunno, they said they had to register as trainers." Ranma helped him look. Suddenly she spied Akago. "There," she pointed.  
Akago was accompanied by a boy wearing his samurai helmet and pieces of his armor that fit. He waddled along beside him with some difficulty.  
"Oh my god, is that Gosan?"  
"Hey guys," the sibs said in unison.  
"Why are you wearing that ridiculous outfit?" Akane was fearless in her zeal.  
"'Cause there are people in the audience we don't want to recognize him."  
"Oh," she replied, satisfied.  
Akago was glad the subject was dropped. "Did you guys get your numbers?"  
"42," nodded Ryoga.  
"21!" smirked Akane.  
"...Sixty nine," grumbled Ranma. Everyone but Ranma and Gosan chuckled.

Atsuko sat down between her mother-in-law and her husband. They weren't the best seats, but one could see just fine from where they were, especially if their vision had been trained. She stared at the square fighting surface she and her family had once fought each other on a year before Akago was born. She became lost in her memories.  
"It's too bad the kids are still out on their mission," commented Gohan. "they could probably still find someone who'd be a match for them here."  
"I don't know about that Gohan," Goku sipped an over-sized soda. "They've gotten to the point where they can hardly hold back anymore. That's why I sent them out into the world. They need to see how everyone else fights."  
"What makes you think they're fighting?" Grama Chi-Chi looked cross. "They're probably goofing off! I knew Gosan looked al little too pleased when he found out you were forbidding them from taking books with them!"   
"Mom," Goten laughed a little at her unyielding attitude, "they're Saiyans. They can't help it! Isn't that right, Nyoku?" the little girl nodded squeezed her large, yellow, stuffed animal bashfully.   
Trunks laughed a little. He had only seen the crazy Saiyan family in action a few times and was a little upset that they weren't participating today. Yamcha passed his son a bag of peanuts. Bulma sniffed hers apprehensively.   
Atsuko was brought out of her trance and sighed. Gohan wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I think it's finally starting."

A fanfare played and the MC came out into the middle of the ring. He began to announce the eight contestants.  
"All of our finalists will now draw numbers to see who will fight who!!"  
"Jack Frost, number 5! Ghost, number 2! Ranma Saotome, number 7! Tha Crusha, number 4!"  
No one knew who they were fighting yet; the tension built in both the audience and the competitors.  
"Kuso Tare.." a ripple of laughter rolled through the crowd, "number 1! Akane Tendo.."   
Soun stood up and cheered ridiculously loudly. Genma and Kasumi attempted to sedate him. He bumped into the guy next to him, spilling his over-sized soda a little.  
"Oh! I'm terribly sorry, sir. I'm just so excited for my daughter!"  
"Hey, It's ok, I understand!" Goku waved his apology off.  
"..number 6! Lady Maki.."  
'Please don't make me fight Ryoga yet!'  
'Please don't make me fight Ranma yet!'  
"..number 3!"  
"Whew!!"  
"..and finally Ryoga Hibiki, the last remaining slot, number 8! Everyone please get ready for our first round in this, the 32nd Tenkai.... Ichi... Bou.. Do.. Kai!!!  
  
Team Tendo sat on a bench and watched the first fight. Akago and Gosan studied the moves of the contestants carefully with stoic faces. Ranma, Akane and Ryoga stared, amazed and anxious at the fight. Tare leapt a hundred feet into the air to avoid a simple punch from Frost. Frost looked up, smiled and faded. Tare fell straight down where he expected his opponent to be, only to find him a little to the left.  
One pushed the other close to the edge of the ring a couple times before they resorted to interesting techniques. Tare faked Frost out, whirled around to his back and reached down his pants. He pulled up the man's underwear as he leapt up again, shouting what sounded like 'Melvin!'. This disabled Frost momentarily and he almost got pushed out. He countered with the first power attack of the day. He held up his hand and shot an icy beam at Tare's legs. He jumped, but not fast enough. One of his legs was encased in ice. He hollered at the cold and was distracted long enough for Frost to form a base-ball bat out of ice and base-hit him out of the ring.  
"Match one goes to Jack Frost!"  
"Ryoga. If you have to fight him, don't use your ShiShi Hokudan against him," Akago warned.  
"Why not, Sensei?"  
"Because it's not warm enough to stop him."  
Gosan stood and clapped his hands together. "Ok, Akane, You're up!"  
"I'm scared," she admitted.  
"Aw come on, This is fun! There's nothing to be afraid of!"  
"My family is in the audience! They'll see me lose!"  
"They'll what!?" Gosan did not understand how she could possibly feel this way, but he struggled, just for her. "Hey, first of all, look where you are. You're at the Tenkaichi Boudokai! No, you're IN the Tenkaichi Boudokai! You, Akane Tendo, are actually gonna fight a match in front of thousands of people who will be cheering you on and you're gonna give it all you got. It's the least you can do. Do you actually think that anyone's gonna call you a loser after this no matter what happens out there?"  
"No.."  
"Ok then." he smiled in full confidence of her abilities. "Go get em!"  
She smiled gratefully at him and turned to go out. Akago put his hand on her shoulder.  
"Akane, this guy calls himself Ghost; what does that tell you?"  
"He's gonna use illusory tricks on me."  
"So what do you do?"  
"Keep more than my eyes open."  
"Right."   
She looked to the over-crowded stands, searching for her family.  
"Akane," Ranma stuck her hand out. "Good luck."  
She smiled, shook it and stepped into the ring.

Ghost seemed to hover onto the fighting surface. He took off his long flowing cloak and revealed his pale, thin form. He smiled thinly at Akane as he bowed. She shuddered a bit at his appearance, but steeled herself for the fight. She perked up her ears and spread her fingers to feel for his Ki signature.  
"Got it," she whispered and the fight began.  
It started out fairly simply, blow for blow she matched this wraith-like creature. He was fast. She had to be faster. His leg swung up to connect with her head, but was blocked by her own leg. He seemed surprised. He smiled sickly and disappeared. Akane gasped and took a hit to the back of the head.  
"Feel him out, Akane!" Akago shouted.  
She cursed herself and closed her eyes. He was like a cold patch in a swimming pool. From the left! She threw out her fist deftly and felt it connect. She opened her eyes and looked for Ghost. She didn't see him at first and almost panicked, but the cheers from the crowed made her look down. He was in a pile at her feet. The referees came onto the ring and declared Ghost KO'd.  
"Match two goes to Akane Tendo!"

"Yeah Akane!!!" the Tendo household shouted.  
"Did you see that!?! She wasn't even looking!! Thank God for those boys!!" Soun bawled like a baby.

Ranma-chan made a slow sweep of the crowd. There were so many people! Her heart pounded. The only thing that dampened this day was that she had to appear in front of them as a girl. At least she was a good-looking girl! She made her way to the ring.   
Lady Maki was tall and slender and dressed in a black and red, skin-tight cat-suit. She hissed at the girl as she bowed slightly. Ranma twitched slightly. 'No, don't think about it. She's a human being!' She sighed and concentrated. Maki lashed out at her with her long arms. Ranma bounced out of the way again and again.  
"You can't run forever, girl!"   
Ranma jumped over her head, satisfied with her estimation of her abilities. "You're right!" She planted her foot in the middle of Maki's back. She sprawled, tucked and rolled, springing back up and charged. Ranma jumped back three times. Maki's fingernails slashed Ranma's costume.   
"Hey!" she growled "that was my favorite shirt!" and double-roundhoused her face. Ranma punched away one clawed hand and kicked another as Maki lashed out again. She uppercut the woman and sent her skittering to the edge of the ring. As she tried to catch her balance, Ranma threw herself at her and used her chest as a spring board. Maki hit the ground as Ranma back-flipped away from her. She landed like a gymnast in the middle of the ring. She struck a pose and smiled slyly as red roses fell all around her.   
"Thank you, thank you." Ranma blew kisses as Ryoga and Akane dragged her off the playing surface.  
"Match three goes to Ranma Saooootomeeeee!"

Ryoga removed his weighted wrist-bands and shoes. Akago took them from him and smiled. "Don't forget, you kill him, you get disqualified."  
"Hai, Sensei." Ryoga smiled back, his confidence at an all time high. He stepped up to the ring. His opponent, Tha Crusha, was a seven foot black man with no neck and fists the size of his head. Ryoga whistled in calm wonder at the man's size.  
"You're a big fella, ain't cha?"  
Crusha simply growled.  
"Ok," he bowed and attacked. Crusha was not as slow as he looked and Ryoga bounced off his block. He blurred as he threw punches at the giant, but those that did land didn't seem to do any good.  
"Shimata! How do I get to this guy?!" he hissed as he backed off to asses the situation. Crusha used this opportunity to charge Ryoga. He bowed down and used his body as a battering ram. Ryoga threw his arms out in front of himself and caught his head in his hands. The mammoth of a man forced Ryoga back to the edge of the ring. He ground to a halt and stopped growling.  
"Huh?" Tha Crusha tried to look up at boy, but found he couldn't move his head. The crowd was hushed. Ryoga could hear his own grunting reverberate through the arena and it energized him. He pushed his left foot forward to the shock of his opponent who struggled to press closer to the edge. Ryoga kept his position and when Crusha ran out of steam he forced his right foot forward. The crowd went wild. Step by step, with Tha Crusha's head in his grip, Ryoga pushed the seven-hundred kilo man to the other side of the ring. As he neared the lip, he panted. Tha Crusha smiled and started pushing him back.  
"Ryoga!" Akago shouted. "Think of him as a big rock!!"  
"Abigrock," he hissed, "right!" and drew one of his arms back. "Haaaa!!!" Ryoga's fist slammed into the top of Crusha's head with an unhealthy snapping sound. Both combatants stopped. The crowd gasped. Crusha stood up straight, smiled weekly, shook Ryoga's hand and fell over backwards.  
He sighed as the crowd erupted again.   
"And the winner of match four, Ryoga Hibiki!!"  
"I knew you could do it," Akago whispered.

Goku got passed a new soda, three times the size of the last one. He smacked his lips. After putting three vendors into early retirement, the Saiyan was thirsty. Ryoga bowed to the crowd and the crowd went nuts. Soun went especially nuts. His elbow went nuts in Goku's personal space, upsetting the delicate balance in the natural order of soda, and the enormous cup of ice-cold pop became airborne. Soun was pushed closer to Goku as the cup landed on Genma. Goku and those nearest to him stared, perplexed at the panda.  
"Oops," he blushed. "Sorry mister!"   
The panda grumbled something and stood up. Goku stood, not sure if the panda meant to challenge him. He help up a sign which read 'excuse me'. Soun smiled weakly at him and shrugged his shoulders. "Happens all the time."  
Goku shrugged back and turned his attention to his hyper-ventilating wife.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will enjoy a recess as the combatants prepare for the second level of matches!"  
  
Gosan took off his helmet and wiped his brow. Akago slammed it back down on his head. "If you're gonna do that, you may want to go into the locker room. Remember who's watching our every move?"  
"Ha ha ha.. I was just going!" he ran into the men's locker room. As he ducked around the corner near the sinks he almost ran into a six-foot panda. "Sorry, mister!" he cried out in the same voice as his grandfather, but stopped dead in his tracks. "Puh puh puh puh..." he stuttered, "Panda!!"  
Genma swatted at him and ran into the showers.  
"Wait mister! You gotta help me!"  
  
Akago's ears perked up as he heard his brother cry out and he ran to see what the matter was. "Gosan!?" he cried and ran into the showers. Gosan was staring, slack jawed as the Panda mutated into a man.   
"No way!!" This whole time!! Mr. Saotome!?!"  
Ryoga and Ranma walked down the hallway between the men's and women's rooms and on the word 'Saotome' burst in on the increasingly crazy scene.  
"That means.." Gosan swung, grabbed Ranma-Chan and turned on the hot water. Ryoga backed up, slowly so as to avoid unnecessary attention. Ranma turned back into a boy under the water before their eyes.   
"Please!" Akago begged. "Is there anything that could possibly cure this?!"  
"No." Ryoga admitted.  
"I don't get it, why do you care?" Ranma stood under the water.  
Akago approached the faucet and turned it on himself. The other men stared, their mouths fell open as he became a she.  
"Go-Chan!" Ryoga cried.  
"That's me.." she blushed and shrugged her shoulders. Ranma and Genma began to smile wildly.  
"Do you know what this means!?!" they shouted.  
"If you're really a girl, and we're really men.." Genma grabbed her by the arms and explained.  
"..then we can jump in your spring and be cured!" Ryoga began to cry with joy.   
"..and vice versa!!" Akago saw the point. "But, Ryoga? You too!?"  
He tripped while standing still.   
"Aw hell, Ryoga, it doesn't matter anymore! Come on out, P-Chan!" Ranma threw a bucket of cold water on him.  
"What? It's you.." she wagged her tail and blushed more, "the ungrateful little ham-hock!" She picked him up and pet him. She whispered to him, "I guess we both had our little secrets, huh?"  
"Uh, Akago..Chan?" Ranma listened to the announcer call the contestants back to the ring.  
"Either Go-Chan or Akago.." Gosan helped out.  
"Whatever," he took Ryoga from her and smiled. "Sensei, I think we have a martial arts contest to win."


	5. Dete koi tobikiri Zenkai Power

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**ZENKAI POWER..**  
Akane was already in the ring, tapping her foot impatiently. Ranma put his hand on the surface and hopped up. She glared at him.  
"Aren't you forgetting something!?" she yelled.  
"This is the way it's gonna be," he smirked and bowed to her.  
She looked to her trainers, but saw only the samurai geared-clad Gosan. She threw up her hands in a questioning gesture. Gosan shrugged. She shook her head, but bowed anyway.  
Ranma began creeping around the ring. Akane became frustrated with him and attacked. He blocked her easily and smiled, his confidence was unbreakable. Akane's began to crumble.  
Akago came back out from the showers in his boy form and joined his brother at the bench. He watched the fight for a few moments before his grin faded. He looked at his brother. Gosan frowned back.  
"Oh, no. I've made a mistake," he muttered.  
"Is he stronger as a boy?"  
"No. Just as strong, twice as confident."  
"Ah.. That's bad."  
"There's no way she can win."  
Akane knew this. She tried very hard not to panic. She blinked and there were ten times more people in the audience. As if that wasn't bad enough, she turned and suddenly made eye contact with her father waving wildly from the upper tier.   
Ranma punched her in the stomach. "Akane! Concentrate! I'm kicking your ass!"  
"I'm trying!" she struggled not to cry. What was she doing up there? She wasn't on their level! What had made her decide to come along on this crazy mission? She wished she were up in the stands right now, sucking down a soda...  
"Akane!" Gosan waved to get her attention. "Don't give up!"  
She gasped for breath and took power from his words. Akane did three back-springs away from Ranma and charged up. She landed facing him and stood on her toes. She stretched her hands out, swung her arms around to her left and gathered her Ki between her spread hands. "Aka.. neno.." She threw them towards Ranma. "HAA!!"  
Ranma blocked. The blast pushed him to the edge, but he clawed it with his bare toes. He struggled against its power. He began building his own Ki up and channeled it down his arms. It surfaced at his hands and forced her blast back. She refused to give up, but he was more powerful. Finally her toes slid past the edge of the elevated surface and she fell gently, landing on her feet. Ranma looked down at her. Akane hung her head. The crowd cheered him, but he didn't bow to them. He hopped down next to her and lifted up her chin. Her eyes were glittering. He smiled at her and gently turned her shoulders, forcing her to face the crowd. They were cheering her. The tears brimmed over. She smiled, quickly turned back to Ranma and threw her arms around him. He hugged her back.

"The winner is.. Ranma Saotome?" announced the puzzled MC.  
Akane sat back down on the bench after getting hugs from the rest of her team. Ranma slid closer to her, but she didn't move. He put his hand on top of hers and squeezed it.  
"So why did you say 'this is the way it's gonna be'?"   
"I'll tell ya after the match."  
He couldn't believe the way she looked. She wasn't just cute; she was beautiful. He looked to Ryoga suddenly, remembering the boy's feelings for Akane. He was well aware of Ranma's actions, but was in conversation with Akago.   
"Uh, Sensei?"  
"Mmm..?"  
"I have to say that I'm glad you're really a girl.."  
"Well, gee, of course you are; you can be cured now!"  
"Well yeah, that and other reasons," he blushed.  
Akago blushed furiously but found he couldn't reply. He wanted to throw his arms around Ryoga and give him a big, wet kiss, but restrained himself. "Cool," he whispered nonchalantly.  
"But I was wondering," he scratched his head, "why you have.."  
"A tail?"  
"Ah yeah."  
He turned to face Ryoga more directly. "Don't stare too hard, but see the people in the second tier, four up and eleven over? That's our family. My Grandfather's on the inside, he's the first one who had a tail. Me and my sister are the only one's who still have them."  
"Is that your sister on the end?"  
"No, that's my Uncle Goten's wife, Paris.  
"Oh. So the woman with blue hair is your.." he stopped and gasped.  
Akago began to reply, but noticed his shock. "What?"  
"Oh my god.. Look! Look who're they're sitting right next to! Isn't that weird?"  
He swung around and stared at the balcony. "Holy shit." The Tendos waved. "Gosan!"  
"And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, the last of our semi-final rounds, Jack Frost verses Ryoga Hibiki!"  
Akago began to panic. "Uh, ah, um, Ryoga! Remember what I said about power attacks and try not to block his ice attacks, ok!?"  
"Hai Sensei!" He bowed deeply and went to the ring.  
"What's up, Bro?" Gosan smiled smugly. "I'm gonna miss saying that.."  
"Yeah, whatever, look. I have a mission for you."

Ryoga felt a draught as he entered the ring and rubbed his hands together. A chill wind picked up as Frost stepped onto the surface. He was paler than he was before, and grinning eerily. He bowed to Ryoga and wasted no time, hurling razor-sharp icicles at the boy.   
"Woah!" Ryoga jumped out of the way of the dozens of projectiles. "That's not cool!"  
"Oh contraire!" Jack laughed and blew freezing air into the middle of the ring. It condensed and formed a miniature snow storm. Snow began to pile up rapidly. Ryoga blinked at it, but charged Frost anyway. He leapt over the drift and flew feet first at him. With a flick of the wrist, Frost conjured a wall of ice which Ryoga hit, feet first and slipped. He began sliding away to the left, straight towards the lip of the ring.   
"What the?! Hey! You're not actually fighting!!" Ryoga got mad. He reached out and slammed his fingers into the ice-wall. This stopped him, inches from being disqualified and he flipped back up between the wall and the snow drift. Ryoga punched the wall, shattering it. Frost quaked in his boots on the other side.   
"Why don't you fight me?!"  
"I thought I could defeat anyone on Earth with this power!" he whimpered. Ryoga felt suddenly very bad for Frost. Jack smirked and pulled what he had been hiding out from behind him. "And I still think I can!!" he swung the bat at Ryoga.  
Speed was not his forte, so Ryoga took the hit. The ice-bat shattered against the side of his head.  
"Ow.." he rubbed the spot. A small welt appeared. "That stung, you jerk!" he pulled back his fist and jammed it into Jack's face.  
"The winner, Ryoga Hibiki will go on to fight Ranma Saotome in the final match of the 32nd Tenkaichi Boudokai!!!"

SECRET AGENT MAN..  
Soun cheered emphatically. He was growing hoarse. Suddenly, he was pulled back under the bleacher-type seats.  
"Shhh! Don't say anything!" Gosan hissed. "I need to ask you a favor!"  
Soun nodded.  
"Whatever you do, don't say our names!"  
Soun nodded.  
"Whaddaya mean? Yes you won't say, or you already have?"  
He shook his head.  
Gosan looked worried and frustrated. "Ok! You can talk! Tell me!!"  
Soun pointed to his throat and made some squeaky noises.  
"You lost your voice!?"  
He nodded.  
"But before that, you didn't say..." he leaned in and whispered, "Akago, Gosan or Son..?"  
Soun shook his head.  
"Do you mean you did or...?"

"Where the hell is Gosan!?!" Akago fretted after he got done congratulating Ryoga. The two boys smirked at each other. "So," Ranma hammed it up. "It is down to you, and it is down to me.."  
"So it is, Ranma Saotome, as I have wanted it for these last few years."  
"Well, today's your day, ain't it?"  
"There he is," Akane pointed as the pint-sized samurai waddled back to the bench.  
"Well!?"  
He looked tired. "It's cool." He flopped down on the bench.  
"It's time." Akago got the signal from the MC.  
Ranma and Ryoga made their way to the ring.

THE KIDS' GOT FUNKY SOUL..  
The audience was especially loud. After sitting for several hours they were anxious to see the end of the competition. The contestants bowed to each other and poised for the fight. The boys began with traditional hand-to-hand techniques which built up as they warmed up into more and more impressive maneuvers. Soon they were blurring as they zipped about the ring. Ryoga couldn't land a solid hit as Ranma was faster than he was, and Ranma found that all his punches and kicks seemed to have no effect on the stronger boy. Fifteen solid minutes went by with neither getting the advantage. They were tiring quickly. Akago stared at them, trying to judge which one would come out on top.  
"They're getting winded!" Gosan proclaimed.  
Akago bit his lip and furrowed his brow. "Oh, I want this to be over with!"  
"Who do we cheer for!?" Akane wondered.  
"Why not both?!" Gosan yelled. "Come on .. eh.. guys! You can do it!"

Ranma caught Ryoga's left arm. "This is ridiculous!" he panted. "We can't just hang out here like this all day!"  
"You're right," Ryoga didn't relax. "What do you want to do about this?"  
They both grinned and began powering up.  
  
"Uh-Oh," Gosan strapped the samurai helmet down tightly. "This is gonna be rough."  
  
Ryoga ripped free of Ranma's grip and spun out and away from him. Ranma put his wrists together. "Kame..!"  
  
The Tendo family stared in awe, not sure who to root for. The Son family stared, mouths hanging loosely. They slowly turned and stared at each other.  
"Did you hear.." Goten asked.  
"..what I just heard?!" Gohan finished.  
  
"Hame..!"   
Ryoga landed and whirled, too late to counter, he threw up his arms to block.  
"HA!!"  
The blast struck Ryoga hard, but his feet remained planted. The cement under them buckled in a spherical depression as the shockwave exploded. He stood, panting heavily, unharmed.   
"Huh?" Ranma's smile fell. "Uh-oh."  
Ryoga put his own wrists together.

"He should have known Ryoga could take that! He's not thinking!" Ranma! Get off yourself! Fight!" Akago yelled at his student.

Ranma shook his head and built up his own Ki for another attack. Ryoga began to chant.

"Him too!!!?" cried Goku. "This is too weird! I didn't know the old guy was taking new students!!"

Two identical blasts met head on in the center of the partially demolished ring. The crowd screamed louder. Even after years of coming to see this sort of thing, it still inspired awe in every man, woman and child; and this year, even in past contestants. The light was blinding; the noise deafening. Both boys strained against the other's power. For fifteen seconds the beams held their position, then they began to waver.   
Akane gasped, "Gosan, what's happening?"  
They shivered like the Veranzano Narrows in the wind. The boys saw this and started panicking. Their bodies were pushed more and more towards the edge of the crumbling surface.  
'What the hell do I do now!?!' thought Ranma as he began to lose control.  
'Kuso! I can't hold him off much longer!!' Ryoga gritted his teeth.  
"They can't overcome each other.. the power is too equal!" Akago blurted out.  
Suddenly the meeting of the beams gave way in a huge explosion of power. Ranma was knocked backwards into the wall. He hit his head and slid down.  
People scattered as Ryoga was blown head over heels, off of the ring and into the stands.  
Team Tendo jumped up and ran to their fallen teammates. Akane and Gosan bolted for Ranma.  
"Ryoga!" Akago nearly flew to him. "Holy crap! Are you ok?!" He pulled him out of the twisted remains of the bleachers.  
"Uhnnn.." he groaned. "Ranma.."  
They both looked over and saw Akane hugging a semi-conscious Ranma.  
"Looks ok."   
"Heh. Too bad.." he laughed lightly.  
"Come on," Akago helped him up. He walked him back to the bench where the paramedics met them. The crowd murmured restlessly.  
"Ladies and Gentlemen," the MC staggered to the center of what was left of the ring. "As both contestants have been knocked out of the ring.." The audience grew silent. Nabiki, Kasumi, Dr. Tofu, Shampoo, Ukyo, Mouse, Kuno, Kodachi, Genma and Soun all held their breath. Bulma, Trunks, Goten, Paris, Nyoku, Chi-Chi, Atsuko, Gohan and Goku strained to see between the people standing in their way. "..we must look to the photo finish."  
Giant TV screens flickered from the image of the MC to a wide-angle shot of the moments directly after the blast. It zoomed in on Ranma and Ryoga's feet. In the same shot, both their feet were lifted off the surface at the same time. "We have a tie!!!!!" Cheers erupted once again. "The purse shall be split between the TWO champions of the 32nd Tenkaichi Boudokai, Ranma Saotome and Ryoga Hibiki!!!!"

HAIL, THE CONQUERING HERO(S)..  
The Tendo cheering squad jumped up and down and hugged each other in joy. Everyone won. The Son family and friends gathered together and tried to make their way out of the stadium. Atsuko put her sweater on and sighed. She couldn't shake her sadness.  
"Hey mom!" Gosan piped as he sneaked up on her.  
"Gosan!!" she cried and grabbed him. "Oh my special little guy! Where have you been!?! Where's your sister!?"  
He sprawled in her tight grip. "Well.."  
"Son, why are you dressed as a samurai?"  
"You were down there this whole time?" Atsuko held him at arms length and examined him.  
"Uh, yeah. We'll be home soon, mom!" he levitated up, kissed her cheek and ran away into the crowd.  
"Thank you Gosan! Thank you Akago! We'll never forget you!" Soun croaked. Genma-panda grunted with tears running down his face. Goku raised his eyebrows and blinked at them. Goten shrugged.

EPILOG..  
Gosan touched down and let go of Ranma and Akane. Akago followed with Ryoga. They proceeded to the mist-covered springs silently. Ranma's heart was pounding. Akane was bewildered, she watched them, wide-eyed. No matter how much she had protested, they still had not told her where they were going or why or how it was that her Sensei could FLY!! As they approached the waters, she gasped. She knew where she was.   
"Well, here we are." Ranma clenched his teeth. He had been here so many times. So many times only to find that there was no cure.  
"Yup." Akago stepped forward.   
"You remember where it was?"  
"Do you remember where yours was?" he frowned.  
Ranma nodded and pointed to Nyannichuan: the girl spring. Akago stepped forward. He pointed to Ninnichuan. Akane and Gosan stood and watched as the others approached the springs.   
"What's going on?" Akane hissed.  
"You'll see." Gosan replied, not taking his eyes off his 'brother'.  
They looked at each other one last time, and jumped in at once. The waters consumed them, boiled and were still. Akane bit her lip and hugged Gosan's arm. He merely smiled. Suddenly the surface of both pools erupted and three figures leapt up onto bamboo poles. Ranma stared at Ryoga then down at himself. "All right!!!!" he cried with joy. Ryoga hugged himself and did a flip off his pole onto solid ground. Ranma followed. The boys jumped up and down and cried out. Akago jumped down delicately from her pole and smirked at them.   
"So glad I could help," she purred. They hugged her and thanked her over and over again.   
"What the.. you don't mean..?" Akane stuttered.  
Gosan smiled. "They're cured."   
"Ryoga?" she cocked her head to the side and looked at him.   
He blushed. Ranma gave him a noogie. "You mean P-CHAN!!!"  
Akane fell over. Ranma ran over and picked her up and danced with her, semi-conscious or not.  
"Ryoga?" Akago walked as she usually did, on the balls of her feet, over to him.  
He smiled and held his hands behind his back.   
"I want you to have this," she reached over and took his right hand. She placed something in it.  
He looked at his gift. "A compass?"  
She nodded and looked into his eyes. "So you can find me. We live under Mount Paozu, just head north-east."  
He clutched it then put it around his neck. "Thanks, Go-Chan."  
"We have to get home. Mom really misses us." Gosan interrupted.  
"Yeah," she sighed. They took to the skies.  
"Good-bye!!" Akane waved with the boys.   
"Thank you for everything!" shouted Ranma, his arm curled tightly around Akane's waist.  
"We'll never forget you!" Ryoga blinked back tears. The Son siblings shot off, waving and shouting their good-byes as they disappeared into the east.

**THE END**

**I hope you liked it! -aks**


End file.
